Woodall Rodgers Deck Park Got Dirty Today

​We were driving over Woodall Rodgers Sunday afternoon when the boy espied what he believed to be bags of dirt sitting on the one-day site of the deck park. "They're gonna need more than that," he opined. But, sure enough: Joanna Singleton said sooner than later just last week, and that's exactly what those were, as evidenced in this fresh look-see dispatched from Park Foundation HQ.

Matter of fact, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. took over the site today; it's charged with constructing, per its separate heads-up, "the performance stage, the Thomas Phifer-designed restaurant, the Great Lawn area, the dog park, the children's park, botanical gardens, Red Oak allees, Olive Plaza, water features and multiple green areas with open space for visitors." Suspense is building. Wait. Wrong project. My bad.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - this park isa game changer for the city Dallas - The “nay-sayers" cannot piss me off.With the greatest share of the expense paid by private contributions, augmentedby some local, state, and federal tax dollars this is a stellar example of thewonderful things that can be done with a public-private partnership. Thank-you, Thank-you, Thank-you to all thathave given of their time, expertise, and resources to make this happen.

As someone that drives under the park every day, I've got two burning questions, the entire roof of the tunnel is covered by square lights that seem to do a good job at lighting the tunnel but at the Maple entrance on the right side for only part of the tunnel there are approximately 32,000 rectangular lights with no spacing between them that aren't even in a straight line. It's looks kind of absurd like a horrible engineering mistake. Why does that one section need what appears to be a completely absurd amount of wall mounted lights in addition to the ceiling mounted lights. The second question is those big fans, those are supposed to remove smog in addition to fire smoke, right? Are the sensors or anything? Because on Thursday when Woodall was an absolute parking lot where you would you moved about 1 mph through the tunnel I wondered if my health was in danger and turned my air conditioning off because the smog in the tunnel was almost unbearable.

Actually, one more question, when is the tunnel supposed to be fully enclosed? All the beams are in but the floor section thingies are not and besides the greater prospect of dying in my car from car exhaust I'm really looking forward to driving through the fully enclosed tunnel from start to finish.

I'd really like to be excited about this project...but I'm just not. Perhaps if the city, state & feds had surplus budgets right now, I'd be more excited about my tax money going to a park. Yes, I know it was earmarked money back when we were just in a recession and not a depression. I mean, let's not worry about substandard streets and other infrastructure. We'll put the burden for that onto the people who are required to plat in order to get a permit to do work on property they've owned for 50 years. At least that way, they know where their money is going...in addition, you know, to that other tax money they're paying in....

A park with ANOTHER performance stage is just what we needed. See...now I'm excited. Just had to talk myself through it. They might make a tree hugger out of me yet. Multiple green areas and open space...give me more of that.

while not a 'nay-sayer' exactly...because it's too late for that...the greatest share is not by private contributions. might want to go read the website. more than half is taxpayer dollars. other than that, glad to see you're excited.

I was against the park when they were in the planning stages. They might as well finish it now...too late to reverse course. It's just a sad expenditure of tax dollars. If the city wants development, they need to start with their infrastructure and quit unloading the things the city is supposed to do onto private citizens - instead the city opts for luxury items. This project is a luxury, not a necessity.

I hear you J_M. I was wondering the same myself. The banks of lights on the wall is overkill. They put out more light than what is coming from above. And it is a blinding light, like high noon on a snow covered mountain top. My first thought? Federal stimulus money, let's erect as many lights as we can and send the bill to Washington. What is also bad, the bulbs look like halogen ones, the most power sucking bulbs out there. TX DOT can't even kept the ones lit around the mix master.

yes boo-hiss on putting people to work and having them spend money in our economy. Oh and then there is quality of life, attracting visitors and industries to the city. BOO HISS!! (now, you kids get off my yard!)